Chapter Thirteen
Reid slid out from under the Cadillac he was working on. “That should do it. Take her for a test run.” Law gave him a chin lift and another sideways look before climbing into the Caddy and firing it up.
Reid scowled at his friend to cover his ass. He’d zoned out several times that morning, and every damn time Law had been the one to catch him staring into space. Which included holding a wrench suspended in one hand and staring into the engine of the Caddy with “a pussy-assed, vacant expression”, Law’s words. He had to pull it together. This was not him. He did not get all twisted in knots over a woman.
But then Rusty wasn’t just any woman.
When the car rolled out for its test run, he went to this office and shut himself in, since he was apparently useless in the workshop.
Walking to the window, he stared out at the street. He’d tried, Jesus, had he tried to keep emotion out of it. In the past he’d never had to. Fucking was fucking. It was easy to keep his brief encounters only physical. But not with Rusty. The feisty redhead had gotten under his skin, and she’d dug deep. She hadn’t let him pull back the night before, no, she’d made it clear what she wanted—him—and then she’d proceeded to blow his mind.
Last night, she’d shown him the sweet trusting nature she kept hidden, and today it was tormenting the hell out of him. Because the way she saw him, it reflected back through those outstanding green eyes, and God help him, he wanted to believe in it. He wanted her to be right so bad it hurt. What if there was more to him, more than his shitty past? What if he was more than the screwed-up result of the nightmare he’d grown up in?
He’d never wanted to believe anything more in his life. To be more for her, to fight the tainted blood running through his veins and be the kind of man Rusty deserved...
Shit, he’d do anything to be that, to have that.
He knew now, he could never go through with his messed-up plan to take her business. He’d known it almost from the very beginning, despite his attempts at convincing himself otherwise. He’d tried to fool himself, telling himself that was the only reason he was pursuing her, but he knew the truth. It had never really been about that, not totally.
He moved to his desk and sat heavily in his chair. Could he really allow himself to have her?
She knew where he came from, some of what he’d been through. Hell, she’d seen it with her own eyes, and she hadn’t run the other way. No, she’d comforted his distraught mother and given herself to him. Had let him take her the way he’d needed last night, hadn’t shied away from the filthy shit that poured from his mouth, his need for control. Instead, she’d wrapped those long legs around his waist and clung to him, begging for more, taking it all and loving every damn minute of it.
He shoved his fingers into his hair.
What the hell am I doing? Put an end to it. Before it’s too late.
His phone rang, and he glanced down at the name flashing on the screen. Nina.
He blew out a breath, chest tightening. He had plans with Rusty tonight, but in his current frame of mind, he didn’t think seeing her again this soon was the greatest idea. Some distance might be for the best. He needed a distraction, a way to get her out of his head, get some much-needed perspective. It looked like he had his distraction.
An unwanted emotion hit him hard, an emotion that felt a lot like guilt. He ignored it, shoved it down, and hit the call button. “Hey.”
“Hey yourself.”
“You got business in town?”
“Yep, and I’m here for one night only. You wanna meet up?”
“Love to. Where you staying?”
“No way was I going to let you sit at home pining,” Alex said, grinning as she drove Deke’s Mercedes into South Beach. It was late, but the good clubs would only be warming up about now, and apparently, dancing was supposed to “cheer her up”. Though, why she needed cheering up she had no idea.
“I’m not pining. Jesus. We’re not joined at the dammed hip. He’s busy, I’ll see him tomorrow.” She didn’t admit to Alex or her sister that she’d been monumentally disappointed when Reid had called earlier that day to cancel their plans. He’d been apologetic, that deep, sexy voice rasping down the phone making her shiver.
He’d sounded fine, if a little distracted. She’d told herself she was being stupid, overthinking. But no matter how hard she tried to fight it, doubt had crept in as soon as he’d ended the call. The voice that constantly rattled around in her head, telling her that nobody would ever want her, not beyond the pretty exterior. That now he’d gotten what he wanted, he was going to give her the brush off.
But then she’d reminded herself that Reid hadn’t exactly shoved her out of bed afterward. Quite the opposite. He’d held her as if she was precious, like he cared. In the morning he’d made her come around his fingers, had taken her again, but this time slower, as if he was savoring every minute.
Alex had picked up on her change of mood and told her they were going out, no arguments. The woman was way too perceptive.
After that, Rusty had forced the doubt from her mind and decided to trust him, something that didn’t come easy for her.
“How are you doing, though, really?” Piper said, leaning forward from the backseat. “Did you tell him about, you know, what happened?”
“We talked some,” she hedged.
“That’s good.” Her sister’s brow scrunched, concern covering her face. “Did he…did he treat you right, Rust?”
